TMNT: Wrath of the Mutants | Xbox Review
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants is a port of the arcade game from 2017 with a few additions for the home users. It’s a fun TMNT beat-em-up the likes of which you have played in some way, shape, or form by now. I had a good time with this but it’s short; I beat the game in about an hour. It has various different levels that you can attack in different orders but nothing changes the story; it’s the same each time. The enemies and the levels are also identical each time you play through a level. Other than achievements, there really isn’t a need to play through this more than once.
Turtle Power
The graphics are good, nothing over the top, but definitely bright and colorful. If you have watched the Nickelodeon show then you will be familiar with the art style; it’s like playing an episode. The controls are extremely simple, but they do a good job and I was never frustrated with them when playing. You do get your choice of Turtle when starting a level which determines what weapon you use, as well as what your special attack does. Other than a cosmetic difference and the special attacks, I felt no difference between them.
Linear Fun
The level design is very straightforward and you move along a linear path. There are no side paths to take or alternate routes that I was able to find. They did add some additional content not found in the arcade version of Wrath of the Mutants, which is a nice touch. Some levels are longer than others but none of them last more than a short time before you are back on the selection screen. Nothing wrong with this as it makes for a simple mindless game to relax with, but if you are looking for something more like a secret path or a new way to play the level you are not going to find it here. Boss fights are fun but very typical of old school arcade games; once you learn the pattern you can beat them every time.
Swing and a Miss
Co-op. That’s where this type of game shines and adds hours upon hours of fun. Gaming with friends is where it’s at for me and I was excited to give this a try. Right up until I found out that there is no online play at all. What a huge miss. I haven’t played couch co-op in probably 15 years, all my friends have their own lives and live across the globe. Online co-op would have brought us together for a virtual pizza party and game night. I think this would have been a real selling point and I’m not sure why it wasn’t included.
Final Thoughts
Overall Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants is fun and if you can do some couch co-op this is a must play. The additional levels are cool but I wish there was more. While I was playing the game I was having fun; it’s just too short for a single player to play through. For just playing the single-player experience, I have to say it’s not worth the price of admission unless you are a huge fan of the arcade game or the Turtles themselves.
To hear me talk more about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants, be sure to listen to the May 15, 2024 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast around the 1:14:27 time stamp.
This review is based on an Xbox copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants provided by Sandbox Strategies for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade Wrath of the Mutants
$29.99
Pros
- Simple to Pick up and Play
- Gameplay Is Fun and Engaging
- Couch Co-op Would Be Amazing
Cons
- Game Is Extremely Short
- No Online Multiplayer
- Expensive for What You Get
